Powering Africa Justly

Universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy remains essential for advancing social and economic development. With less than five years remaining to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), approximately 600 million individuals in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are still without electricity, and over 950 million rely on polluting fuels such as biomass and charcoal for cooking. 

Decentralised renewable energy (DRE) represents the most rapid, cost-effective, and climate-resilient pathway toward universal energy access across SSA. The African Development Bank (AfDB), through its Light-Up and Power Africa (LUPA) initiative has positioned itself as a critical player in addressing SSA’s energy access challenge. LUPA aims to facilitate universal access to both electricity and clean cooking solutions for all Africans by 2033. 

In April 2024, AfDB partnered with the World Bank Group to launch Mission 300—a flagship initiative uniting African governments, development partners, and the private sector—to extend electricity access to over 300 million people.

This report provides in-depth analysis of the LUPA initiative and Mission 300 and offers recommendations to enhance civil society's engagement in equitable, renewable energy delivery.